THE ESCAPE

Friends or Lovers

I couldn't alter any word anymore, and the atmosphere became eerily quiet, like a held breath. The silence stretched out between us, thick and heavy, until I heard something from Jaxon that made my heart skip a beat.

"Ummm.... I heard you saying we were even before," he said, his voice low and smooth, like honey dripping from a spoon. "Are you saying you are not poor or the average, but a rich heiress?"

I choked at his words, my eyes widening in shock. "Not really a rich heiress," I stuttered, trying to clarify. "I'm just someone who was given half of my wealth as a compensation."

Jaxon's expression changed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed this new information. "Ohhhh," he said, his voice drawn out, like he was savoring the sound. And then, in one smooth motion, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine.

Strangely enough, he didn't pry forward, and an uncomfortable silence fell between us. I felt compelled to keep the conversation going, so I spoke up, trying to sound casual. "Ummm... I think I'm done eating, how about you?" I asked, pushing my plate away from me.

Jaxon's expression remained neutral, but he nodded politely. "Ohhhh, I'm done eating too," he said, his voice low and smooth. Then, he paused, his eyes locked on mine, and asked, "Do you wanna go home with me or go for a walk first?"

My heart skipped a beat at the word "go home with me." That place wasn't my home; it was just a place I intended to stay until I got to my own house. I had been thinking that it was already late, and my place was quite far, and I didn't want to stress him out by asking him to take me there. But he was already calling it home, like we were together, like we shared a life and a space. The implication was unsettling, and I felt a flutter in my chest as I tried to process what he meant.

I was silent for a while, lost in my own little world, where thoughts and emotions swirled together in a confusing dance. Jaxon's voice, or rather, the sound of his hand hitting the table, snapped me back to reality. I was clearly lost in my own thoughts, and Jaxon's sudden movement made me jump.

"Ohhhh Aliyah, get a grip of yourself," I silently scolded, trying to shake off the feeling of embarrassment that washed over me. "Why are you thinking this way? You were never like this. He was only trying to ask if you want to go with him to his house to rest or go for a walk. Why are you making it seem so complicated?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, and looked at Jaxon with a sheepish expression. "Whichever one you choose," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, despite the turmoil that was still brewing inside me.

"Ok then, let's go for a walk," he said, while standing up to go pay the bills. As he walked away, I couldn't help but notice how broad his back was, how the fabric of his shirt stretched across his shoulders, accentuating the muscular curves beneath. He looked like a god, chiseled from marble, perfect from every angle, close up or far away. My gaze lingered on him, drinking in the sight of his powerful physique.

But then, disaster struck. Jaxon caught me staring, and that made my soul nearly leave my body. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. This was a first for me, getting caught while staring. I was mortified.

"Ohhh God, what are you doing to me, Jaxon?" I silently exclaimed, my mind racing with embarrassment and panic. I felt like hiding under the table, or better yet, disappearing into thin air. How could I have been so careless? And what must Jaxon think of me now?

He just smirked and turned away, leaving me to stew in my own embarrassment. I could feel my face heat up, the warmth spreading from my cheeks to my ears, and I knew I must be bright red. I wanted to sink into the floor, to disappear from the awkwardness of the moment.

But as I sat there, trying to compose myself, I made a mental decision: I would avoid getting caught staring again. No, let's rephrase that, I would avoid staring altogether. I wouldn't let myself get caught up in Jaxon's chiseled features, his piercing eyes, or his charming smile. I would be strong, I would be disciplined, and I would not let myself get distracted by his undeniable attractiveness.

But as I glanced up, catching Jaxon's eye as he returned to the table, I couldn't help but wonder: would I be able to keep my promise to myself?

Why won't I be able to keep the promise? I thought to myself. It's not like anything is going on between us. We're just two people who happened to meet and have dinner together. But as I made my promises to myself, I saw Jaxon standing in front of me, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

And then, I heard him say it. "Let's go, sweetpea." Sweetpea? When did I gain that nickname? I felt a surge of surprise and embarrassment, but before I could react, Jaxon was already walking towards the door, expecting me to follow him.

I trailed behind him, my mind reeling with questions. What did he mean by "sweetpea"? Was he just being friendly, or was there something more to it? I couldn't argue with him about the name, not now, so I just followed him outside.

As we walked, I could hear whispers and giggles from people passing by. "They look so cuteeee!" "Awwwwnnnnn, she's so lucky to bag such a handsome guy!" "They look perfect for each other, a beauty queen and a hot bad boy!" I felt my face heat up with embarrassment as I realized we were attracting attention.

I looked up at Jaxon, expecting him to be annoyed or embarrassed by the whispers, but instead, he was grinning like a baby, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He seemed to be enjoying the attention, and that made me wonder: what was going on here? Was this just a friendly dinner, or was there something more to it?

Ugh, forget it, I thought to myself. There's no one who would believe me if I try to refute their claims. I'm stuck with this embarrassing situation. I walked cowardly behind him, trying to avoid drawing more attention to ourselves, until he stopped and turned around.

"Why aren't you beside me?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. His voice was low and smooth, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. I didn't want to admit that I was embarrassed by the whispers and stares, so I settled for a weak excuse. "Ummm... I... I just like it here," I stammered, trying to sound convincing.

Jaxon raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my excuse. He took a step closer to me, his eyes locked on mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat. "Really?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. "You like it here, behind me?"

"Why do I think that you are lying?" he said, raising an eyebrow and gazing at me with an intensity that made my heart flutter. His eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for the truth behind my words. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized he could see right through me.

I tried to maintain my composure, but my voice came out barely above a whisper. "I-I don't know," I stammered, feeling my face heat up with embarrassment.

Jaxon's expression remained skeptical, but a hint of amusement danced in his eyes. He took another step closer to me, his presence making my heart skip a beat. "You're not very good at lying, are you?" he asked, his voice low and smooth, like honey dripping from a spoon.